Big Problem!

My system is as follows:

CPU: AMD 9850 [email protected] ghz
Mobo: Ga-MA-790x DS4
RAM: 4 gigs OCZ 800 mhz ram. 4 4 4 14 timings
Video card: Dual 4850's
Windows XP pro 32 bit

3dmark06 score: 14000 (SO BAD. .)

Lately I've been having a lot of problems overclocking. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I couldn't get my CPU past 2.6 ghz stable. I tried everything, lowering the vcore to 1.25, upping it to 1.4, and everything inbetween, trust me. What would happen is, I'd go into OCCT, everything would be fine, and then my computer would shut off. My temperatures were all normal. My CPU never went past 55 celcius. My motherboard's northbridge, while it runs hot, was running under what it normally does due to a fan i have on it.



So, last night I pushed my CPU to 2.8 ghz, 1.35v. I ran OCCT for 10 minutes, and everything was going smoothly. I figured I should use 3dmark06 so I can stress the video cards at the same time as OCCT, and to see what would happen.

As soon as the video cards engaged, boom. System shut down. I had to unplug the computer for 30 seconds before it would let me turn it on. This happens whenever I seem to use "too much power". All temperatures were normal. I'm not overheating.

I can also no longer overclock my video cards. I used to be able to set my one card to max overclock, but as soon as I hooked up some more case fans, I can no longer get my card stable past 650 core.

I think my power supply isn't powerful enough :/. Anyway I could know? I'll post a link of it for you guys.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3501286&sku=GEN-6803


So it's either my motherboard or powersupply, and I'm at a loss. I know my motherboard isn't a good overclocker, but my video cards should be able to reach 700 core like they used to before I added the 3 120mm case fans.

That looks like a cheapo/crapo unheard of power supply. It might not be supply enough power to both of your 4850s. Dual graphics usually require nicer than average power supplies. The watts don't matter as much as the current provided to the cards. My first guess would be bad power supply.

You should run a memtest check at any rate, just to make sure its not your ram. I had lots of issues with reboots and shutdowns just because I was pushing my memory too far. Four gigs is a lot more stressful on most motherboards than two. You have a powerful system running on a crap power supply. Four gigs of ram, two powerful video cards, and a 125W quad core processor is a lot of stress on the motherboard and power supply. I would bet bad PSU first though.

Welcome to the Forums!


I am with James it is likely the PSU. Once the GPU's need juice it dies, makes sense. From you description it also sounds like the PSU is on the way out. Turn off your system and do not turn it back on until you have replaced that thing with something decent. If it goes it can very well take out a lot of you system with it, i.e. CPU, GPU's, etc.
Link Dirt cheap and will get the job done.